Food additive reference
Flavour enhancers (E-numbers)
Flavour enhancers bring out the existing taste of a food. The best known is monosodium glutamate (E621); others include the ribonucleotides E627 and E631.
11 additives in this class, grouped by regulatory level. Informational only — not medical or dietary advice; see the methodology.
- E508Potassium chlorideRegulatory attention
- E518Magnesium sulphateNo regulatory flags
- E621Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)Restricted use
- E622Monopotassium GlutamateUnder monitoring
- E623Calcium DiglutamateUnder monitoring
- E624Monoammonium GlutamateUnder monitoring
- E625Magnesium DiglutamateUnder monitoring
- E627Disodium GuanylateNo regulatory flags
- E631Disodium InosinateNo regulatory flags
- E638Sodium L-aspartateNo regulatory flags
- E642Lysine hydrochlorideNo regulatory flags
Questions about flavour enhancers
- What are flavour enhancers?
- Flavour enhancers are food additives that act as flavour enhancer — used to bring out the existing taste of a food. In the EU they are identified by E-numbers and approved under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.
- Which E-numbers are flavour enhancers?
- Forkin tracks 11 flavour enhancers — for example Potassium chloride (E508), Magnesium sulphate (E518), Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) (E621), Monopotassium Glutamate (E622). The full list with each one's regulatory level is on this page.
- Are flavour enhancers vegan?
- It depends on the individual additive and its source — many can be produced from plant, mineral or animal-derived raw materials, and the label rarely says which. The Forkin app shows verified vegan and vegetarian status per product.
Check what's in your food with Forkin
Scan any barcode and Forkin flags the flavour enhancers and other additives a product contains, with each one's regulatory level. See how Forkin compares to other scanners or view pricing.